Diana Zubiri recalls controversial FHM shoot: 'Dinare ako ng manager ko'

Diana Zubiri said the controversial FHM shoot, where she posed on a flyover in EDSA in skimpy clothing, was all just a dare.

This was her first cover shoot for the sexy magazine and on "Fast Talk with Boy Abunda" Friday, Diana recalled she said yes to doing it for a cellphone. 

"Dinare ako ng manager ko," Diana began. "'Kaya mo bang mag-photo shoot sa EDSA?' Syempre pag sinabing FHM, sexy. May dumadaan na sasakyan."

"Wala akong cellphone nun. Artista na ko, pero wala akong cellphone. Nakiki-text lang aka sa ate ko. So I said, 'sige gagawin ko pero bibilhan mo ko ng cellphone na may camera'," she narrated.

The shoot took place in the morning of October 29, and by the afternoon, she had a brand new Nokia 7650.

The following day, she also had a case of grave scandal filed against her and the FHM team by then-Mandaluyong City Mayor Benjamin Abalos, Jr.

The whole episode even reached the New York Times, where Abalos said Diana "and the magazine's management violated my instructions."

In a 2020 report on PEP.ph, Diana's manager Jojo Gabinete, shared how Mayor Abalos granted them permission to shoot on two conditions: That they also ask the permission of the MMDA and that Diana not wear a two-piece bikini.

According to Gabinete, Mayor Abalos only withdrew the case in January 2003, a month after Diana's controversial shoot was published in the magazine.    

By then, Diana had become an FHM Icon. The December 2002 issue where she appeared on the cover even warranted a rare reprint after it quickly sold out. 

The flyover photo however would appear slightly different in the magazine. Diana was now wearing a bikini bottom, courtesy of Photoshop.

Diana would go on to grace many more FHM covers and she would become something of a certified sexy star, but on Fast Talk Friday, the former actress admitted it was not something she was happy to do.

"Happy [doing sexy roles]? Medyo hindi masyado," she said. "I was doing that kasi yun yung stepping stone ko. Gusto ko talaga maging artist at duon aka dumaan."

"Hindi ko masasabing alam na alam ko ang ginagawa ko. At that age,  hindi pa ko mulat sa kung ano siya. Wala akong mayadong idea sa kung ano ang gagawin ko. Kaya happy ako na nag-transform ang image ko ng agad-agad," Diana said, all thanks to "Encantadia." 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Diana Zubiri-Smith (@dianazubirismith)

— LA, GMA Integrated News